Pre-Trip Parts/maint.
I'm planning a 4000 mile trip in the next few months in my 2004 Truck and Lance, I changed all fluids, belts and hoses. With the truck being 10 years old and having 100K miles on it do you guys ever c...
Forum Discussion
The only items you missed are the alternator and water pump and battery. The alternator will be fine until it fails and the water pump will provide warning that it is failing. If the battery is more than 4 years old I would replace it. I would also get a set of quality aftermarket head gaskets as they are inexpensive and will take no room in your camper to store them should they be needed - an alternative is to take something like Cyclo PermaStop with you.
PermaStop will fix most radiator leaks and is sold to big rig operators as a way to also stop head gasket leaks in engines. I had a big rig kick up a rock and send it through my truck's radiator and I was having to stop every 10 miles and add water. I found a gas station that sold a radiator stop leak product that was a silver small cylinder that contained a gray powder. I poured the powder into the radiator and that temporary repair lasted for the next 120,000 miles I put on that truck. Now I have a tube of the stuff in the glove box of all our vehicles.
A big advantage of having a truck from one of the big three is that most parts can be purchased at local auto supply houses, like a rebuilt alternator or a water pump.
Be sure to grease the front end before heading out. My 2011 GM truck needs to be greased every 3,000 miles and the fittings/boots take a lot of grease each time.
PermaStop will fix most radiator leaks and is sold to big rig operators as a way to also stop head gasket leaks in engines. I had a big rig kick up a rock and send it through my truck's radiator and I was having to stop every 10 miles and add water. I found a gas station that sold a radiator stop leak product that was a silver small cylinder that contained a gray powder. I poured the powder into the radiator and that temporary repair lasted for the next 120,000 miles I put on that truck. Now I have a tube of the stuff in the glove box of all our vehicles.
A big advantage of having a truck from one of the big three is that most parts can be purchased at local auto supply houses, like a rebuilt alternator or a water pump.
Be sure to grease the front end before heading out. My 2011 GM truck needs to be greased every 3,000 miles and the fittings/boots take a lot of grease each time.
